SCOOBA — The No. 4 East Mississippi Community College football team scored touchdowns on five of its first six possessions Thursday night en route to a 56-6 victory against Coahoma C.C. in MACJC North Division action at New Sullivan-Windham Field.
The 50-point home triumph, coupled with No. 15 Northeast Mississippi’s 34-28 win at No. 10 Northwest Mississippi, sets up a crucial North Division battle of unbeaten foes (3-0 in division) at 3 p.m. Oct. 8 at Tiger Stadium in Booneville.
In its only homestand of the season, EMCC (5-0) made up for an offside penalty on the opening kickoff by recovering a fumble on the second kickoff attempt at the 7-yard line. The home team set the tone on the first play from scrimmage when freshman quarterback Bo Wallace hit sophomore Rodney Davis with a scoring toss 17 seconds into the game.
After Coahoma’s opening drive fizzled around midfield and the ensuing punt backed up EMCC to the 3, the Lions marched 97 yards in less than two minutes on just six plays to move ahead 14-0 at the 8-minute, 47-second mark. Wallace capped the drive by escaping the pocket and throwing back across the field to sophomore Hamp Glover for a 12-yards scoring pass.
That same combination hooked up again toward the end of the opening quarter, as Wallace hit Glover in the left corner of the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown with 1:14 remaining in the quarter to make it 21-0.
Following the first of three straight three-and-outs for the Tigers, the Lions opened the second period with a 10-play drive that covered 47 yards and culminated with a 17-yard scoring pass play from Wallace to freshman Antoinne Adkins.
The final score of the opening half — a 10-yard touchdown pass from Wallace to sophomore JJ Harbin at the 7:15 mark — gave EMCC a 35-0 halftime lead.
After the Lions’ first three wins of the campaign were decided by 10 points, they led 38-0 at halftime last week en route to a 48-7 victory against Itawamba C.C.
EMCC’s shutout bid was foiled at the start of the second half following Wallace’s second interception. Coahoma took advantage on Daveonn Porter’s 2-yard plunge with 12:46 left in the third quarter. Nolan Parker’s kick sailed wide to make it 35-6.
The Lions got back on track when Wallace hit sophomore Lacoltan Bester with a 33-yard scoring toss at the 6:48 mark. Bester leads EMCC with five touchdown catches this season.
En route to posting its highest single-game point total since a 75-71 shootout victory against Mississippi Gulf Coast in the 2009 MACJC state championship game in Scooba, the Lions added two more scores in the final period. Adkins’ 32-yard scamper to the end zone on an end-around play at the 13:06 mark was followed by Hunter Lohman’s 25-yard touchdown reception from Wallace with 4:56 remaining.
Wallace, a transfer from Arkansas State, was 34 of 49 for nearly 400 yards and seven touchdowns and two interceptions. He has 17 touchdown passes this season.
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